~ The Magical World of Horses ~

The old sacred books say that the Almighty made a horse out of a gust of wind. They say that all the treasure of the world is in between its magical eyes. Might and pride are within its mane. It will fly without wings and win without a sword. Because of its endurance, loyalty and obedience, one considers it one of the greatest living blessings. He nurtured and maintained it for centuries as his most precious friend and assistant. Many of his achievements in war and peace have come true with it, so it is often praised in many folk and heroic songs. Powerful empires were formed on its back and collapsed under its hooves. It tirelessly carried heavy armor, weapons, equipment and ammunition and passed through impenetrable forests and mountains, in order to win many victories together with his master. By virtue of it and the deadly chariots, Persia was once a martial superpower. If it was not for it, the world would be different; Alexander the Great would never be called the “Great” and won many territories, and Napoleon’s conquests across Europe would not have come true, but only one big dream would remain. In the battle of the mainland, the Romans used a cavalry, which was especially enhanced during the reign of Diocletian and Constantine. In the year 376, on the border of the Roman Empire, the merciless Huns appeared with their magical horses. They first started to use stirrups, and they represented a great danger for all people, even for powerful Romans. In 378, the Huns teamed up with the Gothic cavalry and defeated the Romans in the Battle of Hadrianopolis. Seventy years after this battle, the Romans led their last fight in which the largest number of horsemen took part. In 451, in the Catalaunian Plains, they were fighting, with Attila at the head, and twenty years later the Roman Empire collapsed. After the collapse of the Roman Empire and the death of Attila (453), the Empire of the Huns dominated its territory, and the border was preserved by Byzantium under the command of Belisarius, forming a great cavalry. Byzantium was constantly attacked by the Avars from the Pannonian Plain, who were famous for leaving the stirrups on their way from Mongolia to the Danube. Fear of Huns and Avars can not be compared with the fear that caused the Mongol hordes under the leadership of Genghis Khan. Their destruction can not be compared with the destruction in all wars, and their terrible horsemen trampled and destroyed everything that was on their way. Famous Genghis Khan became king in the thirteenth year and managed to unite all Mongolian tribes. He defeated the whole of Europe and continued conquests until his bizarre death, when he was killed in the hunt under the hooves of his own horse. The last Mongolian tribe, the Tatars, captured Asia and the Middle East, even threatened the Ottoman Empire, led by the fearless Tamerlane. His cavalry had only one formation unit consisting of ten thousand horsemen. Each horseman acted independently, but as a whole they were very well organized and disciplined. However, after Tamerlane’s death, in 1405, his empire collapsed, and the rest were only memories of terrible destruction, accomplished with the help of famous horsemen. Proud and noble, their magical horses are born only to triumphs: when everyone gives up, they move forward; when we all go down, they climb to new heights; when all the retreat, they’re hard as rocks, defying all odds. The lances of many turbulent times were smashed on their powerful chest. Throughout history, they have always been faithful companions of people and contributed to the development of civilization. We meet with equestrian themes even on, twenty-eight thousand years before the new era, old works in the Chauvet Cave, in Ardèche canyon, in France, and on lovely statuettes made of stone, bone and horn, found in a cave in southwestern Germany. In ancient times, some nations considered them sacred animals. Their endurance has laid the foundations of many fortresses and ramparts, and their divine beauty appears in many galleries, in illustrations, mosaics, frescoes and imposing statues and sculptures all over the world. Marcus Aurelius, emperor and philosopher, is remarkably presented with the statue of horseman at the Capitoline Hill in Rome. Unknown soldiers and heroes made in bronze and stone, rest with their magnificent friends on many vast squares. Their miraculous strength and legendary beauty are an inexhaustible source of inspiration to many creators, who have made a major contribution to cherishing the value of this magical animal. Glow in their eyes left a unique and indelible trace, and their deep mysterious view accompanies us in all walks of life. Although we believe that we are close enough to them, and we know enough them, they were and have always remained a big enigma. Their magical world is all around us, and yet we have not been able enough to examine and discover it. Unique Palomino horses, known by their golden body and silvery white tail, are the big mystery for scientists. The graceful, magnificent and playful Lipizzaner is a master of the arenas and parades. We look at it with admiration while performing a dance, known only to it. In the dressage scene, we enjoy in rare moments of elusive beauty and snowy whiteness, and we wonder how come there’s so much magic in one being (“Dance”). Beautiful Haflinger, with light mane and a strong heart, is struggling with rugged landscapes and the sharp peaks of the Alps. The Andalusian beauty cruises in Spain, while its luxuriant, wavy mane, fluttering in the wind. Intelligent and obedient, it was the truest friend of many kings across Europe, and is considered the best in the world. Agile and graceful, black Friesian participated with knights in many medieval wars throughout Europe. Gorgeous and priceless, they are present everywhere: in our past, present and future; in fairy tales and forgotten wilderness, in the world’s greatest battles, in the traces of endless caravans of warm desert sand. If the road takes us to the vast expanse of India, on its gates will welcome us proud and elegant prince of the kingdom of Marwar desert, which for centuries has tirelessly carried warriors of the Rajput tribe on their strong backs. Its Turkmenistan origin is identified in the lively movement and high durability. North American Mustang with its magic won the whole world: attractiveness, grace, speed and independence are intertwined in it. While it rushes across the field to meet the setting sun, it seems to us that the flame erupts from its lush mane. Many verses move in the rhythm of the cavalry squadron and there is almost no epic in literature that is not based on their strength and courage. Tang Dynasty is especially well-known for processing the themes of knight’s ambient and wide landscapes with horses in the gallop. Richly equipped, powerful white horses and terrifying riders are a frequent motif on frescoes. We meet with their epic beauty in the works of many Renaissance and Baroque greats, and in the age of Romanticism and Realism and in modern times. Suzana Stojanović, following the traces of the old masters, creates a type of ideal horse with narrow head, wide croup, tense legs, long fluttering mane, with a tail resembling a feather and trembling nostrils, a fiery gaze. From an early childhood surrounded by them, inspired by their magic, beauty and strength, she began to work them as a child. In these first works they were not realistic as in her mature years. Passing through a period of fiction and fairy tales, she presented them unusual. Often, they would be blue on her works. Inspired by her own observation, in which fiction often overcomes realism, she has enjoyed the world of colors. These first meetings with the colors left traces on her later works. The constant need to spend time with them, took her a step further. She began to copy masterpieces of old masters. Impressed by the vast works of Diego Velázquez, as an eleven-year-old girl, she managed, climbed the ladder, without any sketches and preparations, to immortalize his famous equestrian portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles on a huge wall. Her dream to touch, one day, that power of skill and creation, after many years, became a reality. The series “The Magical World of Horses” originated in 2001 as the crown of all her longtime studies and researches related to these wonderful animals. The final look of each of her works is always preceded by a multitude of sketches. She likes to watch, and her day sometimes begins by going to the nearest haras. “This splendor of divine origin that comes out of the eyes of these beautiful creatures opens up magical horizons in which, once you get caught, you remain forever trapped”, says the author. With their diversity and widespread, they have created a special world that stands out from all others. With her fiction, Suzana tries to encompass one part of that world and diversity. There is almost no segment of life, but they are not an integral part of it. She monitors their behavior in different situations and gives great attention to describing each part of their body, showing them very precisely. She tirelessly explores and glows in the eye, and the equine mane, and tail, and carefully works almost each of their hair, because she considers them to be the most perfect and the most graceful beings. Her series “The Magical World of Horses” (which can also be seen in Behance gallery) includes various equestrian motifs, breeds and techniques. An interesting portrait made by pastel “Curl” is one of the first works of this series that still extends through her creation. It looks like these are the moments when the author recalled the childhood and her magical pets. Her later works, although much more serious, still bear in them a note of naivety and the emphasis on the positive features of her favorite subject. The only work that stands out from the gallery is “Devil”. On it, by the position of the head and the ears, the being of a bloody look resembles the devil. In this view, different feelings are intertwined: rage, fear, tension, and anger. Each vein on his head and neck is pronounced. The gloomy sky swallows its bristled mane and announces a storm. Nevertheless, besides all this, this horse is presented sympathetic. The horses in the work “Mirror” are also cute. Realistic, to the smallest details, presented river looks soothing to the observers, but at the same time disturbing to the horses, which, together with each other, seem as if they do not dare to get deeper into the water. In their views, fear of their own reflection is anticipated. It confuses them what they see because it is completely different from what they are used to. The small waves of the river lead them to another world, which seems very interesting to them. However, unlike many people, they are cautious and do not dare to go into unknown depths. Although small, this work contains a handful of details that successfully describe a rare moment, interesting both for observers and for beings participating in it. Interesting and playful are the horses on Suzana’s work “Morning” too. With the brush strokes that associate the sun’s rays, she creates a scene filled with an atmosphere of joy inspired by the morning waking of nature in the game of wild horses, relieved by all the nooses and obstacles. Their manes in a color of the sun, contribute to this joyful moment. Even the glittering background is in harmony with their movements. Many works by Suzana Stojanović are recognizable by those flickering backgrounds. Work “Fairies” is partly based on the legend of the fairies, for which some still believe that they sometimes pass one of our paths, but rare are those who can see them. Suzana saw and illustrated them in her own way: on horses. Bathed in light, wrapped in golden strands of beautiful, long hair, they fly on their magical and elusive companions through dense forests and nobody knows in what direction and why they leave. Their untouched world is inspired by life and purity, sprinkled with spring, joy and freedom, to which many rushes, but do not see. As we look at this scene, it seems to us that it is torn from a dream. It is this combination of the ancient and the contemporary that gives this work an unusual attractiveness. The work “Power” is pure magic of light. On the profile of a horse of an unusual golden ocher color, as on glass, its strength, beauty and silver equipment are refracting, which seems to have been preserved for centuries for this special moment. Precisely presented, even the smallest muscle of its head and neck introduces us to the third dimension, and as we observe it, we have the feeling that we are observing a statue from the Roman era. The light pink stripe above its eye gives a lively and romantic tone to the overall impression. This work stands out from the others with a multitude of small details, of which a beautiful portrait of a proud creature is woven. Suzana’s horses are never separated (pastel “Love”), even if this was the last wasteland behind which there is nothing more (“Connection”). Even then, they are enough for each other as comfort and support, like that solid rock in the middle of the ocean, about which waves break for centuries, but they still fail to move it. Their family is always together, and they spend every part of the day in harmony, regardless of whether the wind blows or the peace and joy of spring surrounds them (“Family”). “This is their magical world, in which these timeless beings are fully accepted and understood by each other, completely different from ours, to whom we should admire, to try to present it in the right way and to guard it, not allowing it to disappear in the dust of unreasonable decisions”, says the author Suzana Stojanović. They attracted not only by its external, but also that of unattainable beauty that they carry deep within themselves for centuries. The whole eternity made of rare precious stones and all their pride (“In front of the castle”), dignity and intelligence are reflected in their magical eyes. Those reflect a miraculous world, hidden somewhere in the mist of the rocky mountains, in the call of wild herds, in the spring green of flower meadows, in the company of the gods. Born in Greek mythology, they will continue to travel all the time and to shine with their whiteness, hooked in the chariot of war god, Ares. Some of them disappeared on the waves of the sea going to meet god Poseidon. Emerged as the fruit of Poseidon and Medusa’s love, begun in soft grass and in the scent of spring flowers, magical Pegasus of golden wings, flew to Zeus’s castle, the father of all gods, and brought lightning and thunders to him. One constellation, which in the sky shines somewhere, between Andromeda and Aquarius, bears its name. There are many legends and illustrations about the unicorn, for which there is a belief that it lived until the fourth century BC. It was a symbol of purebred, honesty, and sincerity. The hunters’ intention to catch it was futile. It was believed that its horn had incredible power. Brave and loyal, horses remained to live on the walls of many galleries and in literature on the pages of many works of great philosophers and writers. The extraordinary works of the Greek philosopher Xenophon still represent valuable material for all those who want to study them. Proud-spirited and diverse, they maintained their characteristics despite many hardships. Rare are the moments when we can hear the whisper of their soul. They speak with movements and views. Always gorgeous, inscrutable, different and their own, they connect centuries and civilizations. They gallop with its chest, withstand efforts with heart and win with character and a fiery spirit. Their eyes are persecuted, harassed and forced us to think. Once we connect ourselves to that magical view, it is very difficult to separate from it. It follows us everywhere. Many stories and legends, created on the slopes of an unexplored and interesting world, are woven in it. One of them is the story of Suzana Stojanović “Legend of the golden horse”: “Once upon a time there were two kings who could not agree on the boundaries and were continually fighting. As for equal forces, their armies failed to resolve long-standing conflicts. No side wanted to give up. After many exhausting battles, one of the two kings suggests that they go out to the duel, and so decide who of them will take part of the land that has caused many troubles of the two nations. The second king, not wanting to be anything worse than his opponent, accepts the challenge. After the decision was made, the kings started preparing for the duel. The most difficult of all was to choose the best horse in the sea of endurance and strength, which for years, from the conflict to the conflict, settled in them. The first king chose the most powerful and the second king the bravest one. Looking at their masters, they eagerly awaited the day of the struggle to show themselves in the best light. Only the earth under their hooves knew what a conflict of strength and courage seemed to be. The soil was trembling with the desire to win. The king struck the king, the crown on the crown, the horse on the horse, the spears crossed. Lightning broke the sky, and it seemed as if God himself was angry that the two rulers for years had not been able to stop at the abyss that had swallowed many lives. Still, they did not give up. They watched each other angrily as their spears cut the sky. They knew that one of them would remain in that field and that only one moment of inattention would suffice to bring down all the dreams. The struggle of two tireless rulers lasted for a long time, and just as everyone thought they would never end, the first king struck strongly on the other, whose brave horse, realizing that it had to give his life to save its master from death, jumped on the sharp spear of his opponent. Thus, the second king takes the victory over the long-standing enemy and decides requited his horse. Many advised him how to do it, but he nevertheless decided to bring his own decision, just as his brave friend, at the most critical moment, in order to save the life of its master, made its own decision. The king decides to build a large golden statue of his brave horse on the high hill, where the sharp spears were crossed. He invited all the sculptors from the kingdom to gather and start work as soon as possible. The best sculptors from all over the country came to participate in this unique and great project. They worked hard for years to faithfully show the uniqueness and strength of a brave winner. The voice of the magnificent wonder that stands on the top of the hill has expanded to the farthest kingdoms. People from all over the world came to see the statue of magical horse, which was proudly standing in the place of its death. It was glowing both day and night, and many travelers, in order not to go the wrong way, were oriented towards it. The king was proud of his sculptors and gave them a large sum of money for the effort. One night a prophet appeared to him in a dream: “Dear king, you have taken many victories and won many borders, but many people have remained unhappy after these victories. Don’t you think it’s time to retire and spend old age in peace? I know you are proud and never withdraw, but I also know that most of all you love your brave friend which gave its life for you. What is worth living in abundance if we do not spend it with those we love? You know that all the magics of this world are in my hands, so I have one that I only keep for you. The golden horse will revive if there is no war for the next ten years.” After this dream, the king decides never to fight again. He dissolves the army and decides to live in peace for the next ten years, in the hope that a miracle that the prophet has announced in his dream will happen. And the miracle happens. After many years of impatience, people from all over the world gathered around the high hill to attend a unique event. Dark clouds are above the mountain as much as on the day of the duel. The lightning began to radiate from all sides and everything became magic. From the darkness the hooves, neigh and galloping brave horse were heard. It ran through the mountain and went to his lord, as faithful as it was in the most difficult moments. There is a belief that it always appears where there is no war, as a symbol of peace. It’s easy to recognize it because it carries the Sun in the eyes.”

~ The Book ~

The book The structure and meaning of the border stories of Ilija Vukićević has four parts. The first part includes literary-theoretical definition of realism as a stylistic formation; realism in Serbian literature and place Ilija Vukićević in the Serbian realism. In the second part of the book, the attitude of the literary critic Jovan Skerlić towards the literary creation of this writer is given. There are biographical and bibliographical information on the author, then a literary influence and comparative analysis of stories with Frontier themes and Ilija Vukićević and writers from Kosovo and Serbian History. In particular, the author of the book Suzana Stojanović remained on the Ilija Vukićević as a precursor Bora Stanković and Radoje Domanović. This is done, probably because of this writer, who lived and worked for some time in Vranje, little is known. The third part of the book includes the presentation of stories from the life of a border: Border Guards, Škrbo and Fejzula, Miško Ubojica, Under the Sun, Angry wounds. They emphasized the themes of these stories, especially the characters are well presented, composition, style and means of expression and language, as well as messages and ideas. Through the analysis of the above stories Suzana Stojanović showed that the frontier stories of Ilija Vukićević discover new themed content in the Serbian prose. According to Dragiša Živković, all of these stories have anthological value. In them, the writer finds his literary path and image life border guards on the new border with Turkey, south of Vranje in the period from 1890 to the 1896th. In these stories is particularly interesting points to end harsh mountainous and highland atmosphere, unusual people, often very funny and impetuous. The author points out that the writer spoke with a lot of sympathy for these people and it deeply go into their soul. It was pointed out that a successful writer photo nature, but it is well understood and that the frontier stories of Ilija Vukićević are locally colored, which is not the case with his earlier stories from rural and small-town life. This part of the book, among other things, points to a similar stylistic procedure in the construction of stories that they contain not only unusual characters, but also the dramatic conflict and that their action is accelerated. It also stated that fighters in the stories are patriarchal and honest people, but many times the urge introduced into bloody conflicts, and paying honor life. Their love is strange, murderous, brutal and instinctive. For these reasons, unlike Glišić, Lazarević, Matavulj, as pointed out by the author, stories of Ilija Vukićević act as exciting pictures of exotic places and one of them the new prose in Serbian literature in the last decade of the 19th century. All these findings are illustrated through a detailed analysis of the above five stories from the life of a border. The author has proved to be very ably served the selected primary, secondary and special literature. However, in the manuscript the books came to the fore its own study of border stories of Ilija Vukićević, as well as its entire work. This is particularly noticeable from the pages of stories analyzed. In the fourth part of the book are given concluding observations and generalizations about the selection of themes, building characters, the stylistic methods and means, the place Ilija Vukićević in Serbian literature, its topicality today. Here Suzana concludes: “With new way of creating this writer has suggested a new generation of writers and their new orientation in literature: Matavulj, Bora Stanković, Radoje Domanović. He deserves a special place in the history of our literature. Although its frontier stories evoke the sound of ancient times, they are very current today, because history, as according to the law repeated.” (Reviewers: Stana Smiljković, PhD, Slavka Stojanović, the professor of literature)

“The structure and meaning of the border stories of Ilija Vukićević” 2010 (author Suzana Stojanović)

~ Hyperrealism ~

On the works of Suzana Stojanović, made in the style of hyperrealism, one can easily notice the third dimension and warmth that springs out from the eyes of beautiful and intelligent, noble four-legged animals and thoughtful portraits. Her skills lead the observers to the dilemma whether there are hand-made or photographic works. Nevertheless, the splendor shown on them distinguishes them from camera shots because “the camera always sees everything in the same way, and the human eye always looks at the same scene differently”, she says. Relief and tangibility of the artwork fully and faithfully expresses and preserves the essence of the being and its attributes. Suzana does not ignore the decor. She expresses herself through hyperrealism because she thinks that is the best way to make alive the objects of her interest. With her exhibitions, she gifted the public a different way of watching life and some forgotten scenes of the nature and beauties that surround us, but which, due to an accelerated lifestyle, we often renounce. Her exhibitions were visited by thousands of people. Their impressions are full of strong emotions. All of them are amazed and simply stoned as they stand in front of her wonderful works. Suzana’s affinity toward hyperrealism came up pretty early, and she remained faithful to it whole life. Everything that surrounds her, she presents precisely because she thinks it is the best way to approach certain concepts and appearances to observers. Each of her works is a rich description of one stage of mankind. Known for her riders, she, with her narrative works, shows the inviolable bridges that connect living beings and their roles in society for centuries. Her subjects of description are constantly on the verge of exaggeration, and as far as their beauty and their meekness because she experiences and sees them so. Suzana Stojanović, an artist-philosopher and great aesthete, through her works unobtrusive pervading various messages, which are sometimes very serious content, and sometimes sprinkled with mild humor. Her work originated from traditionalism, went through genuine and independent development and stopped at the threshold of hyperrealism, which is often the subject of debate and confusion by many authorities, experts and curators. Perhaps, just because of all this, it is interesting and survives for decades. It becomes a great global show that deletes tradition and imagination and stops only at the present. Perhaps it is a clear message to mankind that it does not expect much from the past or from the future, and that we are all fragile children of the moment that will definitely disappear once. There are no warnings or remorse in this scene. It looks like it’s all floating in an unspecified cosmos, to which we still need to give the name. This manifest of new art has the character of easily understood superficiality and universality. Nevertheless, despite many contradictory opinions, the possibilities of hyperrealism are high. It is a reality that captivates with its exhibitionism on sidewalks, murals and huge sculptures that aim to attract the attention of a larger number of observers. With these works, creators show that liveliness is sometimes much more accomplished by texture than with a smoothness that is characteristic of hyperrealism (some of them go to these extremes of equalizing the layers that all beings resemble porcelain figures in their works). To avoid plasticity is very difficult considering that the attribute “real” constantly strives to build strong connections between artwork and reality. Absolute obedience to “real and existing things” results in almost photographic representation of people and objects. Sometimes, besides demonstrating skill and technique, this obedience does not offer anything more. It only deepens the gap between the creator and the nature. Suzana sometimes reproduces what she sees without embellishment, but insists on the details that may be neglected when we observe what surrounds us. She wants to show us that in these details, many links, for which we are searching for centuries, are hidden. “They are in our vicinity, we just have to see them”, she says, constantly striving to convey the state of things just as sophisticated as the nature itself does. Everything is in that sparkling light that depends not only on talent, but also on observations, moods, traces of soul and perceptions. By her way of working Suzana Stojanović tries to describe the beauty of simplicity from which everything in our universe has begun and to which everything returns and the way, which all the beings of this planet pass through to reach this simplicity. She thinks that everything around us is subordinate to colors and that from their layout it depends on how we will see and experience it. The lines and colors in her works are meaningful because she thinks that all elements of the artwork are equally necessary and important for its integrity. “The origination makes sense only if it leaves a lot of space for observation, study and analysis”, she says, “and hyperrealism allows our way to that sense to be shorter and more explicable. On the other hand, no matter how much they try to perfect their technique, artists are never completely satisfied with their knowledge and skill because they always find what they need to get better. Their continuous pursuit of perfection sometimes leads them to a nonsense in which the value of their work is lost. In everything, both in life and in hyperrealism, we need to find the balance and preserve the nature of the subject we present, while at the same time avoiding the plasticity, to which any overstatement turns us very quickly. This balance is not easy to achieve, because the constant tendency to overcome one often swallowed great talents and dragged them into an abyss from which they hardly come out. Creation is a pleasure while it is the product of their wishes and emotions. From the moment they begin to work to please society and others, they become their slaves. They do not dream anymore. Their creation becomes a work just like every other, because hyperrealism, although in many ways different from other movements, to be called art, and not just imitation of photography, must carry at least a bit of poetry in it.” Suzana finds that poetry in everything that surrounds her and, with her works (which can also be viewed in DeviantArt, Behance and ArtStation gallery), tries to present to the viewers that universe that is sometimes impossible to see by sight, and exists in every living being, in the whirlwind of its hidden emotions and experiences, which sometimes cannot be explained by words but only in colors. “The creator’s greatness is in his power to resist the influences of authority and to throw out his own truth through his work, the one that always waits for him behind the horizon”, she says. In her opinion, “use portraits of popular personalities in creating hyper-realistic pieces, is the same as engaging an actor to play a role that is not appropriate to him only because he is popular. An unceasing tendency towards popularity is one of the main features of contemporary society, but it can be fatal for art because it leads to similarity, universality and lack of creativity. The tendency to popularity and greatness is often the cause of the competition among contemporary creators. They, often forgetting the essence and purpose of art, are struggling to better display all those pores and wrinkles that can be seen on the human face. All those huge heads, glued to an empty background, sometimes look eerie. The aspiration for large formats (where the whole battles once played, and today voids), reflect the ambitions and desires of the contemporary man to impose and emphasize. If you were to observe these works one next to the other on a huge wall, you would often not know which author they belong to. These days, hyperrealism is an unstoppable avalanche that overwhelms and that little rarity on the slopes. It becomes water that flows down the face and a large plastic bag that covers perfect bodies, rarely more than that. Creators avoid complex themes because to bring decoration into harmony with the main theme and to combine elements of traditional art with elements of contemporary tendencies is not an easy job. They sometimes cannot find a way to defend their independence and specialty. From the moment he first takes the ink, brush, or chisel into his hands until the last breath, the artist should fight for his place under the sun, and not run away of challenges.” With her hyperrealism, Suzana Stojanović defies realism and finds inspiration in interesting and unique models that cannot be met at every step. Even with each of her new work with riding themes, she always tries to be different and unrepeatable, seeking in each of these beautiful beings a thread that will completely separate it from everyone else because “these animals are perfect in all their manifestations”, she says, “and every new work brings with it new discoveries and opens new aspects. Technical innovations put heavy tasks to contemporary creators. They sometimes have to choose between rules and creativity in order to adapt to modern understanding. Hyperrealism is perhaps the only art movement that refutes the theory that spirituality is not measured by the level of economic development. The artists usually put their personality on a basis of one color. This is not a matter of restraint, but rather of avoiding (by them) superfluous details that would unnecessarily burden the work. Often, they choose only one subject of display to create something new as soon as possible. There is not even that deceptive depth of perspective that keeps the attention. Because of these similarities, today’s artist often remains anonymous. His creativity leads to minimalism and the impoverishment of the values that surround him. He leaves himself submissive to what is imposed to him every day as right and important”. Suzana’s subjects do not stay indoors. Relieved by the weight of modern life, they nostalgically talk about past times. With her timeless works, she takes us into the long forgotten moments that restore confidence in life and art.
By way of introduction, we were recently graced with the new arrival of a well-known and accomplished artist, Suzana Stojanović. She is someone I have known outside these pages as a friend and as a truly master of hyperrealism. Her beautiful work can at times be extreme, and it is always compelling. I recommend that you take the time to get to know her and her captivating works, as she has much to share with all of us. Suzana is someone I got to know about a year ago and at that time I was drawn into her stunning work. Not unlike some masters you and I have discussed, her works just keep on bringing you back for more, not only on the basis of technical merit; they demonstrate a driving and robust visual declaration of her love for her subjects. It is at once a celebration of those living subjects that comes through all of her work with consistent brilliance and passion. Her sensitive and compelling art is an admirable reflection of her as a person. From my perspective, Suzana’s work is as good as it gets. And you will notice that her work, all of it, shares a common thread of humanity, passion and dignity, the veritable mark of a true artist. She is outstanding, not only in her brilliant ability to render but her compositional and lighting techniques drive the point home that she cares deeply about her subjects.
(Denis Peterson, hyperrealist, dA Journal)

~ Biography ~

Suzana Stojanović, an artist and author, was born in Vranje, a small town in southern Serbia, on April 18, 1969. She comes from a family of intellectuals. Suzana started reading and painting when she was four. The early period of her artistic work lasted till 1988. During that period, she tried her skill at different fields and left behind hundreds of art works. She studied painting skills of the Old Masters and different techniques (watercolor, mosaic, pastel, encaustics and graphite pencil on paper, iconography, sculpture, engraving and oil on canvas). Suzana started painting oil on canvas when she was eleven years old. She participated in many group exhibitions and art colonies as well. Apart from being the winner of numerous prestigious awards, she is also the recipient of the 7th September award of the city of Vranje, the public recognition for exceptional achievements in the category of education, and for the numerous regional and international prizes won in the field of art, musical and literary creativity. She finished High School of Mathematics and Technical Science (Informatics Section) and participated in numerous maths, physics and literature competitions, achieving outstanding results. She thoroughly studied astronomy and acquired enviable knowledge in this field. The same year she finished High School of Mathematics and Technical Science, Suzana also finished High School of Music, specializing in the violin and comparative piano. She participated in many music contests, festivals and music ceremonies. She composed her first composition when she was fifteen years old. Having finished High School of Music and High School of Mathematics and Technical science, Suzana Stojanović studied Serbian Language and Literature at the Faculty of Philosophy of the University of Niš and continued perfecting playing the piano. Although in this period of her life she decided on music, writing fiction and reading and studying the works of the world’s most famous writers and poets, painting and drawing, however, have always been her greatest loves. After studies, she briefly worked as a Serbian language teacher in an elementary school, but she still made her dreams come true as the hyperrealism artist. Suzana’s return into the arts scene after thirteen years was marked by “The Magical World of Horses” series. This series, among other works with the motif of Arabian horses, was presented in several solo exhibitions throughout Serbia (“Madam” Gallery, Pančevo 2001; Gallery of National University, Vranje 2002; Gallery of Center of Culture, Vladičin Han 2002; “SKUT” Gallery, Niš 2003) among which the largest was in Belgrade (“Geca Kon” Gallery 2002). Many of her hyperrealistic artworks are to be found in private and public collections in the USA, Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and North Macedonia. She is the author of the book “The structure and meaning of the border stories of Ilija Vukićević” (2010) and many literary, artistic and philosophical texts, short stories, satires, essays and poems. Her prose has been published in the representative international literary journals, reviews and magazines (“Cardinal Sins” 2021, “Your Impossible Voice” 2022, “Fiction International” 2022, “Mount Hope” 2023), and elsewhere. Also, her work has been nominated for the “Best Small Fictions 2023” anthology. Suzana speaks English and Macedonian. Presently, she works on a new series of artworks, based on medieval motifs, called “The Secret Gardens”, paints horses and thoroughly studies the horse anatomy, and also writing new books and working illustrations. She dedicates a story and a poem to each of her paintings and drawings, and her dream is to compose again someday and make animated films. The artist lives and works in her studio in Niš.